NFL Player News

Thompson was officially promoted to the Broncos' 53-man roster Saturday, Mike Klis of The Denver Post reports.

With C.J. Anderson being placed on the IR it makes sense for the Broncos to add some running back depth to their roster. Thompson will now back up Devontae Booker and Kapri Bibbs in the Broncos' backfield. The 24-year-old rushed for 48 yards and caught six receptions for 51 yards in 15 games with the Broncos last season.

Washington (ankle) does not have an injury designation for Sunday's game in Houston.

Washington will likely reclaim his power/short-yardage role from Zach Zenner, but with Theo Riddick (ankle) also cleared to return, the rookie can't hope for much more than the lesser half of a timeshare. While Washington's role did include goal-line carries prior to his injury, those high-value touches are difficult to come by in a pass-heavy Detroit offense. The team has 15 passing touchdowns and only three rushing scores.

Head coach Jay Gruden said Friday that Kelley will have a big opportunity in Sunday's game against the Bengals, CSN Mid-Atlantic reports.

Matt Jones (knee) was officially ruled out for Sunday's game in London, leaving Kelley, Chris Thompson and Mack Brown as the team's healthy running backs. According to ESPN's John Keim, head coach Jay Gruden said Thursday that Kelley would likely take on the lead role in the event of a Jones absence, with Thompson mostly sticking in the passing-down role he's thrived in. Kelley, an undrafted rookie, thus figures to get the first crack at early-down carries, which could also make him Sunday's starter. However, it's still possible Thompson will take on a larger role than usual -- particularly on the heels of last week's strong showing in Detroit. There's also some chance Brown could eat into Kelley's carries, though Thompson seems like the bigger threat.

Rawls (leg) was able to run again this week, but he remains a few weeks from being able to play, 710 ESPN Seattle's Liz Mathews reports.

Rawls has been sidelined since Week 2 due to a hairline fracture in his left fibula. Although he was able to meet the expectation of being able to run again this week, Rawls still needs to get back to playing shape and speed, which could keep him out a few more weeks. In the meantime, Christine Michael will continue to carry the bulk of Seattle's backfield workload.

Per the NFL's official transaction log, Anderson (knee) has been placed on IR by the Broncos.

While the move confirms that Anderson's regular season fantasy utility is over, ABC's Troy E. Renck relays that there is hope that the running back could return in time for the playoffs, should Denver qualify. In the meantime, Devontae Booker has been installed as the team's starter, with Kapri Bibbs next in line for carries and Juwan Thompson a candidate to be promoted for the Broncos' practice squad.

The Broncos are expected to decide in the next 24 hours whether or not to place Anderson (knee) on injured reserve, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Anderson had his meniscus repaired Thursday, and although that procedure coincides with a multi-month recovery timetable, he'll be able to jog again in six weeks, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports. Knowing that, there's a decent chance he could return later this season, but in order to gain a roster spot in the meantime, the Broncos may decide to place him on injured reserve. That would rule Anderson out for at least eight weeks, so Anderson faces an extended absence either way. While he's sidelined, rookie Devontae Booker figures to assume the bulk of Denver's tailback duties, with Kapri Bibbs slated for second-string work behind him.

Grimes (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions.

Grimes hasn't played since Week 3, but he returned as a limited participant throughout practice this week. That puts him in contention to play Sunday, when starting tailback Lamar Miller (shoulder) is also considered questionable to suit up. While both players' statuses will need to be determined before a clear outlook on Houston's backfield can be shaped, Alfred Blue figures to see more touches than usual given the circumstances.

Rodgers is expected to serve as the primary running back for a third straight game Sunday against the Raiders, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

With Doug Martin (hamstring) officially ruled out for a fifth consecutive game, Rodgers is poised for another heavy workload, though it still shouldn't be assumed he'll top 25 carries for a third straight game. His 30-carry performance against Carolina and 26-carry showing against San Francisco occurred in games that saw the Bucs run 69 and 73 offensive plays, respectively. The Oakland offense figures to put up a better fight than the past two opponents -- but such a scenario could help Rodgers get more involved as a receiver. He dominated the workload while last week's game was still competitive, holding a 26-7 carries advantage over Peyton Barber before the rookie took the final five totes.

Martin (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Oakland, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Martin suffered a setback in his recovery two weeks ago, and he's now been ruled out for a fifth consecutive game. He's seemingly in danger of missing time beyond Sunday, as he didn't practice in any capacity this week. Jacquizz Rodgers will lead the Tampa backfield against Oakland, with Peyton Barber and Antone Smith providing depth.

Patterson (concussion) is not practicing Friday, Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune reports.

Patterson has now missed back-to-back practices since his concussion was first reported Thursday. He does have an extra day to clear the NFL's protocol, with Minnesota facing Chicago on Monday Night Football. Given his recent uptick in usage, Patterson's absence could lead to a significant bump in playing time for Charles Johnson, though Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen would be better bets to absorb abandoned targets.